Viva la Salsa

My first experience with an amateur salsa dance performance here in Nigeria, made me realize there was more to this art than meets the eye. I decided to research this amazing theatrical art, and it’s unbelievable how much of mixed styles go into this coordinated rhythm.  Listening to today's Salsa, you are going to find the base of ‘són’, and you are going to hear ‘Cumbia’, and you are going to hear ‘Guaracha’. You will also hear some old ‘Merengue’, built-in the rhythm of different songs. You will hear many of the old styles somewhere within the modern beats.

Salsa varies from site to site. In New York, for example, new instrumentalization and extra percussion were added to some Colombian songs, so that New Yorkers - that dance mambo "on the two" - can feel comfortable dancing to the rhythm and beat of the song, because the original arrangement is not one that’s easily recognizable. And like an Iroko tree, this art has stood strong with many roots and branches, but with only one trunk that unites us all. It is in all of us and a sample of our flexibility and evolution. Don’t even think that a single place can take the credit for the existence of Salsa, you would be very wrong; and if you also think that one style of dance is better, you should try dance your salsa in a setting where a different salsa style predominates, you definitely won’t look an inch as good as the locals there. Each Salsa dancer is accustomed to dance his/her own style as influenced by the environs and locality. Though none is better, different styles and tweaky flavas keep making this art more and more fun.

In Nigeria for example, Salsa is loved by the people, although just a meager percentage for now can take on the dance floor doing Salsa well enough; some brilliant minds have amazingly been able to make their own salsa moves, mixing flavas from common Nigerian local dances like the fuji, alanta, yahoozee, galala etc. and guess what? The result, - a style entirely different from any you have ever seen. The size of lasses and booties that exist in our world, make a very interesting combination of motion, when swinging salsa.

The new love for salsa by Nigerians, which is evident with various schools that teach Salsa classes, spring up everyday.

Well, while you are reading this, I definitely would be swirling my body to my latest salsa technique, that I picked up from a recent Salsa night at Casalinda, when they treated some guest to Latino music, dance, food, and drinks. What a night!

For the next Salsa evening, Casalinda may just be a short drive away. Call 092905335.

Viva la variedad, Viva la Salsa!